She was the heroine of her people. With her extraordinary violet eyes, ebony hair, and ivory skin, the French Countess Melisande was a prize for any man. But the teenage hellion who rode into battle to defend her people belonged to the warrior who saved her life, made her his bride, then disappeared for years. Now Conar MacAuliffe had returned to claim his wife, now a ravishing woman determined to fight for her freedom at all costs. But the proud beauty who feared no man suddenly feared herself...and the passionate embrace of the husband who vowed never to let her go. He was the mighty Viking conqueror they called "Lord of the Wolves," a legendary warrior whose greatest challenge would come with the woman he was destined to wed. In the fiery Countess Melisande he would find his heaven and hell. Even as he waged war for her heart, he dared not yield his own...Even as he laid sweet, seductive siege to her body, he tried to shield his soul. it would take a common enemy, a little trust, and a united front to awaken them both to a love that could change their lives forever.

The adventures of Li-lin, a Daoist priestess with the unique ability to see the spirit world, continue in the thrilling follow-up to the critically-acclaimed historical urban fantasy The Girl with Ghost Eyes. It's the end of the Nineteenth Century. San Francisco's cobblestone streets are haunted, but Chinatown has an unlikely protector in a young Daoist priestess named Li-lin. Using only her martial arts training, spiritual magic, a sword made from peachwood, and the walking, talking spirit of a human eye, Li-lin stands alone to defend her immigrant community from supernatural threats. But when the body of a young girl is brought to the deadhouse Li-lin oversees for a local group of gangsters, she faces her most bewildering—and potentially dangerous—assignment yet. The nine-year-old has died from suffocation . . . specifically by flowers growing out of her nose and mouth. Li-lin suspects Gong Tau, a dirty and primitive form of dark magic. But who...

A slasher movie turns real when two young actors are brutally murdered on a remote island film set. Their severed heads and arms are posed in macabre homage to a nineteenth-century pirate massacre. Two years later, survivor Vanessa Loren is drawn back to South Bimini by a documentary being made about the storied region. Filmmaker Sean O'Hara aches to see how the unsolved crime haunts her…and Sean knows more than a little about ghosts. Lured by visions of a spectral figurehead, Vanessa discovers authentic pirate treasures that only deepen the mystery. Are the murders the work of modern-day marauders, the Bermuda Triangle or a deadly paranormal echo of the island's violent history? As Vanessa and Sean grow closer, the killer prepares to resume the slaughter…unless the dead can intervene.

Two sisters, one baby and the best of intentions...As a vibrant, young woman with a lifetime of possibilities ahead of her, Freya grants her sister, Pearl, the ultimate gift of motherhood. However, this comes at a hefty price – an unexpected rift in her family and the loss of the man she loves.Decades later, Freya is divorced, childless and homeless, at rock bottom after losing everything she's worked for. When her estranged niece, Billie, offers sanctuary, managing the family restaurant on beautiful Magnetic Island, Freya can hardly refuse. Billie has never understood the tension between her mother and her aunt and now, with a newly broken heart, she is nursing a family secret of her own. All three women come together under the tropical Queensland skies, but can they let go of past regrets, or will old tensions tear them further apart?By the bestselling author of Meet Me in Venice, this is a moving and inspiring novel in a stunning setting...

In this brief collection of short-shorts, Kevin Brennan (Parts Unknown) offers five case studies in bad parenting. From a father who won’t pull over to let his boy pee on the roadside to a couple who unwisely lock their twin toddlers in a closet all day while they’re at work, these parents embody the adage that it takes a village -- to save innocent kids from idiots like them!Poet Kahlil Gibran has said, Your children are not your children. In this collection of short-shorts, Kevin Brennan (Parts Unknown) turns that simple idea on its head with five case studies in bad parenting. From a father who won’t pull over to let his boy pee on the roadside to a couple who unwisely lock their twin toddlers in a closet all day while they’re at work, these parents embody the adage that it takes a village -- to save innocent kids from idiots like them!

If you are married and are caught cheating...what would you do? It seems easy to simply sign a divorce paper, or serve them to someone-but what if a huge part of you still wants to stay, what then? Beryl goes through the same with Mark. 'Say you love me' is a story about love, hopes and dreams and how at times reality hurts more than it should.Synopsis:Anne Daniels has a secret to tell you. Come on an adventure with her to the sunshine in Tampa, Florida, a business trip where her path crosses with the man of her dreams, Alex, a carefree artist. Follow Anne to a beautiful Florida beach hidden from the world where she discovers true love, but not without a twist that changes her heart forever. Have you experienced true love?Praise for "A Brush of Love":- "It will leave you pondering life." - Amazon Reviewer- "Wow! I have read this a couple of times..." - Barnes & Noble ReviewerOne of the 11 stories included in the collection "From Vegas With Blood."

Based on the true story of the free-spirited daughter of Queen Victoria.As a young woman, Princess Louise is considered the most beautiful and talented daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She is also strong-willed and resists following the queen's rigid rules and strict protocols for a princess. After her father's untimely death, Louise's life is upended by the inconsolable grief of her mother and the rippling effect that rocks the British Empire. Captive to the queen's overwhelming mourning, Louise is forbidden to leave her mother's tight circle of control, attend balls, or have any kind of relationship outside the royal family. She is relegated to the position of personal secretary to her mother—the same position each of her sisters held until they were married. Already an accomplished painter, Louise risks the queen's wrath by exploring the art of sculpting, an activity viewed as unbefitting a woman. When Louise involves herself in the...

Alex Mason is back again, this time to go out of school! He is going to see some crazy, but true, things. He is going to ride on the back of a dragon and a giant eagle! This time hunting for a man and his deadly silver whistle, which could kill thousands of people in seconds...This is an 11 page short story:Steven just witnessed his beloved dog tear out the throats of his two best friends. It gets even more surreal when the dog explains to him why he did it.

Nikki DuMonde's newest employee is standing at the end of her bed at four o'clock in the morning begging for help. It's a joke, right? Besides, as manager of a successful New Orleans haunted-tour company, Nikki doesn't scare easily. But in the light of day, harsh reality sets in as a police officer informs her that Andy was brutally murdered--at the exact time Nikki swears the distraught woman was in her room. No one believes her except Brent Blackhawk, a paranormal investigator desperately trying to forget his tragic past. Half Irish, half Lakota--and able to communicate with the dead--Brent is used to living in two worlds. But when he realizes the ghost of a slain government agent is also trying to reach out to Nikki, he knows that she, too, must listen to the dead...if she wants to keep living.

Damien Northcutt is a gambler, a rake, a bastard, and... bored. Madeline Barnes is a botanist, a lady, an innocent, and... curious. When Damien accidentally plays knight-errant and rescues Madeline from the clutches of her scheming relatives, he discovers she might be the key to getting what he's always wanted—revenge. Even though Damien has warned her repeatedly he is no gentleman, Madeline is sure deep down underneath his rakish demeanor he is a hero. Why else would he secret her out of a ball to safety? Damien's plan includes seduction but not marriage. What he doesn't expect is being seduced himself by Madeline's smiles and laughter and passion. But she is meant for Damien's half brother, and enacting his revenge means ruining the match... and breaking her heart.

PREVIEW! Read excerpts from ALL the stories here:vampwriter-dot-com/E-EXCERPTS-dot-htmP.N. Elrod's picked 15 of her favorite short works for this multi-genre collection spanning 15 years of publication.Also included is a never before published VAMPIRE FILES story, featuring her urban fantasy vampire PI, Jack Fleming!Each story has been polished afresh for this anthology, with pages of new material added.Titles:1. A Night at the (Horse) Opera (Vampire Files, Fleming)2. The Breath of Bast (Vampire Files), Ecsott)3. Bossman (Original mystery, no vamps)4. Slaughter (Vampire Files, Fleming & Gordy)5. The Devil's Mark (Original historical vampire)6. You'll Catch Your Death (Vampire Files)7. Izzy's Shoe-In (Historical mystery introducing Izzy DeLeon, fearless girl reporter)8. The Quick Way Down (Vampire Files, Fleming and Gordy)9. The Scottish Ploy (Original romance/mystery)10. Grave-Robbed (Vampire Files, Fleming)11. The Company You Keep (Vampire Files, Gabriel Kroun)12. Death in Dover...